Polly's Secret
by risenfromash
Summary: Apollo goes off by himself sometimes with no explanations leaving Trucy to wonder what is Polly's secret mission? When she finds out she rethinks her feelings for him. He has two great girls who love him what will he do? Ch 5,6 up! COMPLETE SPOILERS AJ
1. Suspicions

CHAPTER 1-Suspicions

Trucy became suspicious that Polly was hiding something when they were at the courthouse one day and she wanted to get lunch in the cafeteria there rather than waiting till they got home. Apollo had flashed her his wallet and she saw he only had about thirty bucks in it.

"Sorry, it has to last me till the end of the week," he explained.

She hadn't been upset or anything. Trucy was used to always being just this side of completely broke. That was how her and Daddy lived and like Daddy, Apollo often didn't get paid for the cases he took. Often the clients who most needed his assistance were those who had nothing to give him in exchange for his services. The philanthropy that Polly and her daddy showed to those falsely accused individuals was one of the things she liked the most about them, but in this case Trucy knew Apollo had just gotten a big payment from a client the day before. Maybe he just hadn't gone to the bank yet…but that seems improbable. Usually as soon as any money came Apollo's way he would pedal right off to the bank before it got lost in the catastrophe that was the Wright Anything Agency and Justice Defense Company.

Trucy sensed that Apollo was hiding something and Truce was simply too nosey not to want to know what it was. Polly and her did practically everything together, especially with Vera being in Europe right now, so what the heck was Apollo doing when he would disappear for an afternoon or a day without inviting her along? And where was his money going?

Trucy considered several possibilities. Maybe he had a secret girlfriend, but it seemed unlikely. He was so hung up on Vera. He talked to her every night on the phone and it was obvious that even though technically Vera and he were no longer boyfriend and girlfriend that it wasn't stopping either one of them from acting like they were. Any time Trucy suggested Apollo go out with someone else he would just make a face and say he wasn't interested. So, a secret girlfriend was probably not what was going on. Especially since whenever he disappeared he didn't bother to dress up. He usually just wore some of his grubby day-off don't-cares-how-I-look clothes.

Maybe he was taking special classes to become a cook or a ballroom dancer or to learn French. Trucy could imagine Apollo sneaking away out of embarrassment to learn some new skill. Maybe he wanted to surprise Vera when she returned with a guitar serenade or something, but Trucy kind of thought that Polly would tell her about his plan. He might hide it from everybody else, but she was pretty sure that Apollo wouldn't feel embarrassed to let her know that he was planning something special. He wasn't very secretive and he told Trucy pretty much everything he was up to or at least they knew pretty much everything about each other whether they wanted to or not simply because they hung out together so much.

For example, Trucy knew that Apollo intentionally went out of his way to make it clear he had no romantic interest in her. Which was fine because she had none in him, but she **did** idolize him. Apollo was smart, sweet, compassionate and sensitive. He was extremely honest and hardworking and very passionate about things. Sure, he could get a little carried away sometimes…and sometimes he was moody or didn't seem to know how to loosen up, but that was simply part of his hardworking nature. He certainly made Daddy look lazy. Yes, overall, Vera was very lucky.

Trucy pondered Apollo's adorable nature…Polly was a great guy…or maybe he wasn't a great guy, maybe he had a huge secret. Not a secret love, but a secret…**offspring**. During his years as a rebellious foster youth maybe he had got with some girl while he was drunk and they had a kid together. And now he snuck away to see the kid and all his money went to child support. Trucy hoped this wasn't the truth because Apollo had obviously been deeply scarred by his lack of parents. It would seem wrong for him to have done the same thing…but what else could it be?

Well, there was only one way to know for sure. Trucy borrowed some tracking equipment from Ema and put a locator on the underside of Apollo's bike and one in the liner of his backpack. Wherever Apollo went on his secret missions he didn't bother to wear his suit or take his briefcase but he did take his backpack, so even if he took the bus she would be able to track him.

Trucy was pleased with her ingenuity. She would find out what Polly was up to.


	2. Tracking

CHAPTER 2-Tracking

It was about a week later before Apollo started giving the telltale signs that he was going to sneak off. Phoenix and Maya were gone for the day off running errands of some kind and Polly and Trucy hadn't had any cases to work on in a couple weeks. Trucy was sitting on the couch reading, the magazine _Modern Magician _and thinking about going for a walk in the park. She was just about to invite Polly to come along when he appeared in the office dressed in worn jeans, a rock band t-shirt, a grubby pair of sneakers and his backpack.

_He's headed out on one of his secret missions!!_

"Hey, Truce. I know we'd talked about maybe going to the museum today, but I ended up with a lotta crap I gotta do. Do you mind if we do it another day? Maybe tomorrow? Maybe your dad and Maya would want to come along?"

Trucy nodded. The medieval weapons display they both wanted to see would be at the museum for another month. They would have plenty of time to see it before it left town and Trucy was excited to play spy. The curiosity was killing her!

"Alright," Polly said. "Well, I'll see you later. Call me if you need anything, kay?"

Polly was so funny. He was like this anytime Phoenix was gone. Trucy figured all those times when her daddy would disappear for days on end on secret missions had left Polly feeling responsible for her, but really she was sixteen and more than capable of taking care of herself. Usually, she was the one taking care of everybody else, but she never felt offended by Apollo's protectiveness. She knew it wasn't some sexist thing or that he thought she was too immature to care for herself. They just looked out for each other and she liked it that way.

She smiled at him.

"Sure. No problem. Have a good day. Love you." She blew Polly a kiss as he headed out the door of the office and pretended to go back to reading her magazine, but as soon as he stepped out of the office Trucy ran for her laptop and started using the tracking device.

Apollo was riding his bike over to the shopping center.

_Polly hates shopping! He must be hungry and stopping for a bite._

Trucy watched as the red dots split up. He must have parked his bike and gone into a store in the shopping complex. He was there for quite a while. Long enough that it was obvious Mr. Justice was not simply grabbing a drink and a snack. Trucy knew from experience that Polly was not a particularly picky eater, being raised as an orphan he ate pretty much whatever he was offered or could afford with minimal complaint.

Trucy minimized the window with the tracking information and pulled up a satellite photo of the shopping center. It was hard for her to remember the exact layout of the shops. She thought that in the strip mall there was an office supply store, a salon, a video game store, and a shoe store, but the economy was bad and businesses were opening and folding incredibly fast these days.

He was taking so long she figured he must have been getting his hair cut. What a disappointment! Was his secret mission really just doing a bunch of boring errands? Maybe next he would be going to the shoe store to replace his nasty worn sneakers he wore on his days off.

Trucy was losing interest, but she continued tracking her boss/friend/idol setting her laptop up at one of her daddy's deck while she practiced her newest card trick on the other end of the desk.

Meanwhile, Apollo had moved on. He seemed to be hanging out at a corner near the shopping mall. Either he had met someone and was talking or he was waiting for the bus.

_Boring!_

Many of the city's bus's now had bike racks on the front, a change that Apollo had applauded for making his transportation dilemmas easier. So, Trucy wasn't surprised when the bike tracker and the bag tracker separated ever so slightly and headed in the same direction. He was taking the bus somewhere with his bike riding on the rack on the front of the bus and wherever he was going took a long time. The bus lumbered through the southern part of the southeast district pulling over every few blocks to pick up or drop off passengers and then it zoomed south on a long stretch of road without taking any turns. Either there weren't many stops along this part of the route or not many passengers to get on or off or both.

_What the heck is Polly doing in the southern district? There's nothing there!_

Apollo had been on the bus for an hour and half when he got off and boarded his bike again. Trucy was glued to her laptop. Where was he going? Maybe it was a secret rendezvous. Maybe he had found an alien spaceship and was caring for injured martians. It seemed as likely as anything else he would be doing in the middle of nowhere. He could be up to anything and the suspense was killing her. Using satellite photos she found that Apollo was in a rural part of the southern district that might technically not even be considered city anymore and he appeared to be approaching some kind of compound that looked like a church.

_He's going to church?!_

Polly had never struck Trucy as especially religious. He used espressions like "pray" and "god" more often in vain than not and she couldn't imagine him praying in the traditional sense. So why was he going somewhere that looked like a freakin' nunnery?

There was only one thing to do. She would follow him. After all, she cared very deeply about Polly and having a secret like this might signal that he needed help. He knew she would perceive he was up to something so perhaps it was his way of asking for assistance without actually having to ask, a cry for help as it were.

Trucy called a cab and rummaged around in the junk drawer in the kitchen to find the emergency Wright Anything Agency/Justice Defense Company credit card. Phoenix had gotten the card so that it could be used by any "staff member," their code word for member of the family, for unforeseen emergencies. At the time, Apollo had argued that the card should be stored in a block of ice so anyone tempted to use it would have to wait for it to melt, but Trucy's daddy had said that in an emergency seconds matter and had insisted that the family would just have to exercise restraint with its use. Phoenix had than gone on to clarify to Maya that anything involving robotic samarui memorabilia would never constitute an emergency situation. Maya had then pouted until Phoenix agreed to take her to the rerelease of the _Pink Princess V_ to restore her happiness.

But Trucy felt no guilt grabbing the card now. Apollo was up to something that he wasn't sharing with her and that just wasn't right. The only think she allowed him any privacy about was his love life and beings as she had set Polly up with Vera and helped orchestrate a number of their most romantic evenings together she knew a lot about that, too.

_Polly, don't worry I'm coming!!_


	3. A Safe Place

Notes from Risenfromash:

A couple funny things about this story: I had a hell of a time figuring out how entendra is spelt and I intended for it to be K or K+ and have no romantic overtones. Yeah, well that wasn't what the characters wanted obviously as you'll see in the next couple chapters. I want to apologize because the tone will change dramatically at about chapter 6, which I think is the final chapter…

Also, some notes to readers: most of my Polly/Vera story arc is first person from Polly's point of view, but I wanted us to be able to know some of both Trucy and Polly's thoughts in this story since it is about their…relationship/friendship/thingee… but it does fit in the arc. After Vera was acquitted of her father's murder she was put on trial for some of her forgery work and was found guilty despite Apollo's efforts. Hence she went under house arrest in the building where Polly and the rest of the gang live and work at the Wright Anything Agency. They manage to get a plea deal that if she will work in Europe with Interpol's forgery detention and prevention department that she could get her name cleared of criminal charges.

Thanks for reading!

* * *

CHAPTER 3

Taking the cab didn't take as long as going by bus and bike would have, but it still took a while. The compound looked to have been built in the nineteen seventies with large texturized windows at the front and a sloped roof. A fence ran alongside the main building and a vegetable garden clung to the side of it on the edge of a large field that looked like it could have been home to livestock or horses, but Trucy didn't see any animals.

As the cab approached the cluster of buildings, Trucy noticed a humble sign painted in primary colors. It read "A Safe Place for Youth". Trucy wasn't exactly sure what that meant and there was no additional information printed on the sign.

The place still looked like a nunnery to her and she had some vague notion that years ago unwed mothers came to nunneries to have their babies.

_Oh, my God! Vera's not really in Europe! She's here having his bastard child!!_

It all made sense. Vera had said she'd be gone for nine months at the longest.

_How could I not have noticed!_ _And how could Vera lie to me and tell me all those things about London and Paris?_

Trucy paid the cab driver and walked up to the front doors of the building. Mr. Justice was going to have some explaining to do, like how he could allow this to happen to Vera.

Trucy walked into the largest, foremost building. Inside was a linoleum-floored hallway. Lining one wall were upholstered vinyl benches like a hospital might have. Above the benches was a big, colorful piece of art made of tiles that appeared to have been painted by school kids. In front of Trucy were a set of imposing double doors and on her left was a counter with an office behind it and a lot of files in colorful folders. A woman sitting at a desk behind the counter got up to greet Trucy.

"Hello. What can I do for you today?" The woman said cordially.

Obviously, Trucy was in some kind of reception area and she needed to be behind those doors to be able to get to wherever Polly was. Quickly, she decided the best strategy was to be as honest as possible. Though she was going to have to be fairly vague…

"I'm here to meet Apollo Justice. I believe he's here meeting a…resident today."

"Oh, you're a friend of Apollo's? Sorry, he didn't say we should be expecting anyone else. He usually comes alone. Such a good kid…well, he's probably either back in the rec room or with Rosie somewhere."

_Rosie?_

Was Vera using a code name here? Or was Apollo some kind of cheating dog?

Trucy moved to enter through the heavy doors, but the woman stopped her.

"Has Apollo had you sign the necessary forms?"

Trucy had no idea what forms this woman was talking about, but she did know how to smile sweetly and tell people what they wanted to hear, especially people asking about paperwork. Daddy had taught her that by acting confident, smiling, nodding, and saying "of course" most people wouldn't bother to check that paperwork was complete or even actually existed, but if you ever faltered and dumbly asked what paperwork they were talking about they'd be all over you.

"Of course, I gave them to Apollo to turn in." Trucy said smiling and nodding.

"Oh, ok, then. I'm sure I must have just forgotten about it. Have a good time and thanks for coming."

Stepping through the doors Trucy was immediately met by smells that reminded her more of an elementary school than a hospital. The hallway had many doors and she wasn't sure where she was supposed to be going but she headed straight down the hall remembering that the woman at the front desk had said Apollo might be in "the back."

Then she heard his voice shouting, "Oh, no!! That is so unfair!" followed by the hollering of a bunch of other men.

It sounded like they were watching sports or something. Trucy followed the voices to the end of the hall where it widened out into an open space. The room had a number of activity stations: there were craft supplies and an easel in one corner, a bookcase and shelf of board games in another, and a TV in the center of the room barely visible due to the cluster of young men surrounding it. Trucy could see Apollo's spiky bangs poking out from the center of the throng. She looked around for something to hide behind and found an overstuffed chair near the bookcase that suited the purpose nicely.

"Polo, I told you I've been practicing."

"I still maintain something's wrong with this controller. The B button is sticking I tell you!"

"Come on, Apollo don't be a sore loser." Someone else said.

"I'm not. Let's do it one more time, but Joe and me'll switch controllers."

"Ok, Polo. You're goin' doooowwwnnn!"

The young men cheered and then a hush descended over them.

_The epic battle continues between….Yung Gu Ling and….Vesto!!_

_ 3….2….1…FIGHT!!_

Trucy stood up. The guys were so into the competition on screen they didn't even notice her. She could hear fake punching sounds coming from the TV and Apollo groaning and howling as he finger mashed.

"No…no…ha…yeeeesssss…I got…you…DAMN IT!!!"

Apollo's opponent laughed and announced in a loud voice, "Witness everyone!! I have just beaten Apollo Justice!" The victor raised his arms up like a gladiator; only instead of an ax or sword he had a game controller in his hand.

Then in a much smaller voice he added, "But, Polo's right there's something seriously wrong with this controller."

Trucy could see Apollo slump back in a lounge chair that several boys were roosting on the arms of.

"I'll bring a replacement next time I come. You should throw that one out. It sucks."

"Man, I can't believe I finally beat you!" The young man speaking looked to be about Trucy's age with dirty blond hair. He was wearing a t-shirt at least one size too large and jeans with a tear in the right knee.

"I'm out of practice. I only play when I'm here." Polly explained.

"Too busy with your girlfriend, huh?"

The young men who weren't currently playing looked over at Apollo apparently in hopes of getting some juicy details.

Apollo sighed. "Naw. She's out of town right now" he said with obvious sadness in his voice.

"She move out? Joe said you two were living together," one of the younger boys asked. From his body language Trucy gathered that the young man who had defeated Polly must be Joe.

"She's in Europe for a while working with Interpol trying to clear her name."

Joe helpfully filled in the details for the other boys who were present who might be less knowledgeable about Apollo's love life, "She's a felon. Forger. Justice here couldn't get her off."

The double entendra made snickers erupt from the young men and Apollo smacked Joe in the arm.

"Shut the hell up, Joe." He said with irritation.

One of the smaller boys asked, "Apollo, you got a photo of her?"

Apollo pulled out his wallet and handed it over.

"Man, she's hot!" Apollo smiled a little, but said nothing. There were murmurs of agreement from the other boys and then one of them said, "I can't believe you tap that!"

Apollo's head turned sharply. "Hey watch what you say about her! She's my girlfriend and you shouldn't be talking like that anyways. It's disrespectful! No wonder none of the girls will hang out in here with you guys. You're savages. Now give it back."

One of the young men tossed Apollo his wallet, but he had poor aim and it fell on the floor.

"Wait a sec, if that other girl's your girlfriend who is that? She's really cute, too." Trucy couldn't see the wallet form her vantage point, but it must have fallen open. Trucy wondered whom the other photo could be of. She'd never seen who was on the flip side of Vera's photo. Maybe it was this Rosie person?

"Yeah, exactly how many girlfriends you got, Polo? When'd you become the mack daddy?"

"Oh, that's Trucy. She's kind-of like an adopted sister. We work together."

"Doing **what** exactly? She looks like she's our age."

"She is. Well, she's Joe's age anyways. She helps me investigate cases and do stupid paperwork and make sure I get my butt to the courthouse on time. Stuff like that."

"She sounds like a mom."

Polly laughed. "Yeah, kinda. I'd certainly be in big trouble without her. I need all the help I can get a lot of the time."

"Polo got himself a hot momma!"

"Shut up, Joe."

Joe's tone changed, "Apollo, I'm just messin' around! You mad at me or something?"

"Well, yeah I kind of am. You aren't supposed to be here. I know you went to stay with a new foster family and blew it. Joe, what were you thinking?"

One of the other youths grumbled. "Oh, come on Apollo what would a guy like you know about kids like us?"

Joe raised his voice. "Polo is a kid like us. He used to be here when I was what like nine, ten?"

"Something like that. And you're still here. This is **transitional** housing, Joe, in case you missed it that means it's supposed to be **temporary**."

One of the kids sitting on the floor seemingly absorbed in the triple combo attack happening on the TV said, "Oh, come on. You're trying to tell us that lawyer-man here grew up like us with no parents? Give me a break."

"No, it's true. He didn't even get adopted. Nobody wanted him. He "aged out" of the system when he graduated from high school." Joe explains.

Even one of the kids playing Nintendo turned around, "You serious man?"

Apollo nodded. "Yup. I even came really close to getting myself thrown into juvee."

"What'd you do?" One of the young men asked.

"I broke another kid's nose. And I might just do the same thing to Joe here if he doesn't straighten up his act."

"Polo, you're not in charge of me."

"Oh, I know that, but you're being stupid. What the hell'd you do this time?"

Joe shrugs. "I stole some stuff and then I ran off."

"Why, Joe?"

"They didn't like my sense of humor."

"You mean your back-talking smart mouth? Go figure."

"And they made me throw away my magazines." Joe said it in a way that made Trucy and the rest of the group know he wasn't talking about issues of _Modern Magician._

Apollo raised an eyebrow at him.

"Dude, a man's got needs." Joe explained matter-of-factly.

"You're sixteen, you perv!" Polly said whacking Joe on the arm. "Talk to me about needs when your girlfriend is traipsing all over topless beaches in Europe with some buff Interpol agent."

One of the guys muttered, "She's so not comin' back, dude."

Apollo fell silent. He'd been really depressed ever since Vera left. Though he went out of his way to play it off as simply exhaustion from all their cases Trucy knew better.

"Joe, just promise me you'll think about trying to behave yourself or at least try to get your diploma."

"Yeah, I guess, but then what? I've got no future, man. You know that. You got out of here cause you got brains, Polo. I'm gonna be night manager at the Quickie Mart."

"Don't say that. You quit acting like an irresponsible jerk all the time and I could probably help you find a job. They always need clerks at the courthouse. It's boring as all get-out but the pay is better than a McJob."

Joe was silent and looked at Apollo without making any promises.

Apollo tipped his head in thought as though sizing Joe up. An idea seemed to have occurred to him.

"Joe, you ever been on a real date?"

Joe shifted uncomfortably.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"With a nice girl and acted like a nice guy? Like a dance or something?"

"Hell, no!"

"Well, with that attitude forget I asked." Apollo got up from the chair and started heading out. Trucy ducked back into her hiding spot so he wouldn't see her. Joe followed Apollo hollering after him.

"Wait a second… you thinking about setting me up with someone?"

Apollo stopped walking and turned around seeming to consider this.

Joe's eyes were wide with eagerness. "With the girl in the photo? Your assistant?"

Apollo twisted his face in thought, "Or with Pearls. She's about your age, too, but I think you'd like Trucy better. She's really cool and funny, but no guarantees. It's her choice. I can just see if Truce might want to…But Joe I care a lot about her. A LOT. You understand that? You'd have to get your act together. Some kids here have real problems, but you're just acting like a punk for the fun of it. You need to knock it the hell off. Foster parents have a hard job. You gotta give 'em a break."

"I guess that's fair."

"Hey, Apollo. Can you find me a girlfriend, too?" Shouted one of the boys from over at the Nintendo.

"Naw. Sorry. I'm not a dating service, but I thought Dumbass here could use some motivation. But I put myself out there for you like this, I trust you and you hurt her it won't be your nose I break. You got that?"

Joe nodded eagerly seemingly happy to have some reason for behaving himself.

"So don't be here next time I come visit. Cheryl will let me know where to find you and just so you know, I'm really good friends with Trucy's dad so you screw up I'll be in big trouble, too. So, no shoplifting and no running off. I don't set up thieves."

"But you've got it bad for a forger."

"That's different and I don't have to justify myself to you. Anyways, I gotta go. You're cutting into my Rosie time." Apollo said with his eyes sparkling.

Trucy watched as he headed out of the rec room waving his goodbye to the boys over his shoulder.


	4. Rosie

CHAPTER 4

Trucy wasn't sure how she felt about Polly trying to set her up with Joe, but she didn't have long to consider it as Apollo strolled down the hallway and went to an open door. Trucy stayed a distance behind, but she could have been all the way back in the rec room and still have been able to hear the squeal when Apollo entered the room.

"ApOlo!"

"How's my favorite girl?" Trucy jogged down the hallway and peered around the corner of the door to see a little tan skinned girl with dark hair and dark eyes standing in front of Apollo.

"I'm good," she said. "but Miss Sparklepinks is sad." She said lifting the rag doll she was holding up so Polly could get a better look. Miss Sparklepinks had pink sparkly fairy wings and big lavender eyes painted on her pale face.

"Oh, why's that?"

"Well, she lost her magic wand. I've asked everybody and nobody can find it."

Rosie looked to be about six or seven, but she had an even more child like way about her. Rosie was looking into Apollo's eyes with great concern.

Apollo sat down on the floor by her bed surrounded by stuffed animals and baby dolls.

"That's too bad. Does that mean she can't make me my special tea? I'm really thirsty."

Miss Sparklepinks moved to whisper something into Rosie's ear. "No, Miss Sparklepinks says her teapot is magic. I'll get you some."

Rosie turned around and dashed over to the corner where a plastic toy box sat. She rummaged around in it for a moment before pulling out a pink plastic teapot decorated with star stickers. She held it above her head and hopped three times, spun once and sang, "Magic, magic, tea come to me!!" and giggled.

Trucy thought the only thing that could possibly be more adorable than this little girl was Polly who was busying himself creating a circle of dolls and stuffies for him and Rosie to sit with. One teddy bear kept falling on its face and Polly kept sitting it upright, tying to adjust its padding so it would sit properly and then just when he seemed satisfied that it wouldn't fall it would preceed to fall face forward again. Trucy almost laughed outloud at his determination to get the teddy to behave itself. He just kept trying over and over again. That was Polly. He was never one to give up easily. When he finally leaned it in a way he found satisfactory he grabbed a smiley face flower and hugged it to himself and reached out his hand for his cup of tea.

Rosie poured her invisible magic concoction into a tiny cup and handed it to Apollo.

"Thank you." He said, ever the gentleman.

Rosie stood in front of Apollo as he sipped at the tiny cup.

"Mmmm. It tastes like peppermint today."

"I thought you'd like that." Said Rosie proudly spinning her upper body ever so slightly with delight. Apollo sipped at his tea and shared it with the smiley face flower, which made Rosie smile.

"So how are you doing?" Apollo asked her the same way he would have asked anyone else. There was no cutesy tone to his voice, simply the air of concern he had whenever he asked a friend how their life was. If Trucy's eyes were closed she could have easily believed he was simply sitting having a grape juice with her Daddy.

Rosie sat down across from Apollo and poured herself a cup of tea that she shared with Miss Sparklepinks.

"Well, JenNIfur got to go to a home and I miss her."

Polly nodded.

"You still sure you don't want to? They're not all bad. My family is really nice."

"Tell me about your famLEE, ApOlo! Pleeeeaasssee."

"Oh, you already know about them."

"Tell me again, pleeeeaaaassseee! Tell me about Feeicks! Has he played anymore jokes on you?"

"Well, he glued my coffee mug to my desk one day last month."

"He's your daddy, right?"

"He's my friend and he's kind of like a dad sometimes, but he doesn't order anybody around."

Rosie giggled. "Feeicks! That's hard to say."

"It's a mouth full. I think that's why his wife calls him Nick, instead."

"Nick. That's easier. We had a Nick here at Cwrismas."

"Maya is his wife's name. She's really funny. She likes to watch kid's TV shows and she loves to eat hamburgers and she can't cook."

"Not at all?"

Apollo shook his head and made a frumpy face. "Nope. Not at all." Polly shook his head at the smiley face flower, too.

"I thought mommies always cook."

"Nope, mommies don't have to cook. They just have to be nice."

"Maya is nice?"

"Very nice." Apollo smiled. He loved Maya and he loved seeing how happy she made Phoenix he had been so sad before she moved in with the rest of the family.

"Do you cook?" Rosie looked worried. She wanted to know who was feeding her Apollo when she wasn't making him invisible magic tea.

"Sometimes, but usually Trucy or Vera cook."

"Oh, Twucee! She's your best friend isn't she?"

Apollo nodded.

"Well, your mommy and daddy sound nice. I like how Feeicks plays jokes on you, but I don't like EarA."

Apollo was surprised. "Oh, why's that?"

"Because she left you and it made you sad. JenNIfur left and it made me sad." Rosie ran over to Polly and climbed in his lap. "I don't wan you to be sad." She said hugging him.

"Oh, Rosie. It isn't like when our first mommies left us. Vera's coming back."

"But JenNIfur isn't. She has a real mommy and daddy now. She told me."

Apollo didn't know what to say. He just hugged Rosie. Sometimes he figured there was just nothing that could be said. Sometimes only a hug could help. He wished he had had more hugs when he was Rosie's age. Actually, he found himself needing a lot of hugs as an adult, too. Maybe that's why he fit into his family so well. There was always an abundance of hugs to be had from Truce, Maya, and Vera. It had even gotten to where Nick would hug him and not just a manly pat/hug, but a big loving bear hug. Apollo had never felt as loved as he did now with the Wrights as his family. It didn't matter that he wasn't actually related to them. They were his family. They made it clear every day that he belonged with them. He wished every orphan could find happiness like he had with such a welcoming, non-judgmental, loving family.

"You know who would really like your tea?" He asked his pint-sized companion.

"Who?"

"Vera. Sometime we'll all have tea together." Vera loved tea. She drank it everyday from dainty little cups and saucers. Polly liked hearing the tink of the porcelain teacup hitting the saucer, as she would sip at her herbal concoctions.

"ApOlo, are you gonna marwee EarA?"

Apollo smiled. He didn't have to tell the truth, but he didn't mind being honest with his friend. "You promise not to tell anyone?"

Rosie nodded, her eyes wide with the excitement of sharing a secret with her special friend. Polly leaned in towards his companion and then pulled back pointing at her doll.

"Wait, what about Miss Sparklepinks? I'm not sure magical fairies can be trusted…" Apollo looked uncertain but Rosie shook her head vehemently.

"We won't tell. I proow-mise!"

She pretended to zip Miss Sparklepinks lips shut, followed by her own and then threw the imaginary key over her shoulder.

"I hope so." Trucy's eyes got wide. She knew Apollo really liked Vera, but she couldn't believe he would admit to actually thinking about getting married to her! She knew he was kind of old-fashioned but wasn't he kind of young? Maybe he was simply amusing the little girl, but Trucy couldn't ignore the twinkling in his eyes.

"But I thought you were gonna marry me!" Rosie didn't seem to know whether to be upset or excited for her friend. She stuck her lips out in a pout and her eyebrows went down.

Apollo laughed. "That's very sweet, but I don't remember asking you." Seeing that her friend was flattered Rosie was happy again.

"When I get marweed, I wanna horse wagon."

"A horse wagon?" Apollo wasn't sure what she meant.

"Like Cinderella had."

"Oh, you mean a carriage."

"With pink unicorns pulling it."

"Oh. Well, that will be a really cool wedding. Can I come?"

Rosie nodded again very excited to have invited her first guest.

"So you really can't find Miss Sparklepinks' wand, huh?"

"Nope. Everybody's been looking forEVER, even Joe."

"Joe helped you?" Apollo was pleasantly surprised. He hadn't thought that Rosie's charming powers worked on Joe, too. The fact that they did affirmed his belief that under the tough-guy exterior Joe was really just another sweet lonely kid, like Apollo had been.

Rosie nodded, "But Joe told me it was a secret. He didn't wanna hurt his rep. ApOlo, what's a rep?"

"It's what big kids work hard to get because they think it's important." Trucy covered her mouth with her gloved hand to muffle her giggle. Apollo was so funny!

"Is it magic?"

"Definitely not, but they act like it is." Apollo and Rosie laughed.

"Big kids are silly!" Rosie said getting up and dancing around the room before settling back into Polly's lap.

"Hey, I'm not silly!" Polly argued.

"Oh, yes you are!" She said charging at his lap again. She tumbled into it in a fit of giggles. Apollo tickled her till she was pink in the face and then he placed his finger on the tip of her nose. "Well, I don't know where Miss Sparklepinks left her wand, but I do know what is more magical than a wand."

"What?" Rosie was shocked. What could be more magical than a fairy's wand?

"Well what do all great magician's have?"

"I dunno."

"What made Frosty come to life?"

"A hat!!"

"That's right and I happen to have a present for Miss Sparklepinks right here and my friend Trucy has taught me how to recognize a magic hat and this one is very magical."

Apollo pulled from his backpack a pink floppy sunhat and sandals for Miss Sparklepinks. Rosie took them in her hand and examined them like a paleontologist might examine dinosaur bones.

"Oh, you're wight. Verwy magic."

Rosie held the little hat over her head. "Magic, magic," she chanted.

"I can feel it ApOlo!" She shouted.

"Well, good. Let's see if the shoes fit…I've never bought a lady shoes before…"

Trucy felt embarrassed about spying on her dear friend, but she was so enthralled. Apollo was so good with the kids. He really understood them. She wondered how many other kids came back here after they grew up. She kind of figured it was one of the last places Polly would like to be, yet here he was, bringing gifts and talking to them and trying to help them get through it.

Trucy knew she should go. She had heard and seen things that weren't meant for her to see or know. Not that they were bad things. They were simply things that Polly had for some reason meant to be private. Maybe Apollo didn't want to call more attention to his past or maybe he was simply the type who thought nice things should be done privately. Trucy figured it was probably a little bit of both. So she figured she would slip away quietly before he even knew she had been there.

Trucy backed away from the doorway to Rosie's room and tripped over a metal garbage can that had been set in the hallway. It made a horrible clatter on the linoleum and Apollo and Rosie ran out to the hallway to see what the commotion was.

"Trucy?! What are you doing here? Are you spying on me?"

Trucy grimaced. She felt bad. Apollo was obviously mad, but all she could do was run to him and put her arms around his neck and hug him. How could she ever have thought he had a dark secret?

"Oh, Polly. You're such a good guy." She said with tears in her eyes.

Rosie was smiling.

"How'd you get her Twucee?"

"Magic." Trucy said and pointed to her blue top hat.

"The hat!"

Rosie ran into the other room to retrieve Miss Sparklepinks' hat and Apollo squared his face with Trucy's.

"You couldn't let me have one day to myself?"

"I'm sorry. I worried that something was wrong. You always tell me where you're going."

"I told you that you could call if you needed something. Trucy, I have my own life."  
Trucy hung her head in shame. "I know."

"Well, now you know my secret. Other than home, this is the only place I fit in." Apollo looked down at the smiley-face flower toy he was still holding on to. He found the situation a little embarrassing. It was only Trucy, but still he'd been discovered having a TEA PARTY. It wasn't exactly the most manly activity. He could almost hear Klavier Gavin's superior chuckle. He was SO glad Trucy hadn't brought friends with her.

"Oh, Polly! You know what you need today?"

"What?" Apollo rolled his eyes. "What could I possibly need other than a less meddlesome best friend?"

"An assistant."

"What?"

"To bring cheer to the kids. I can help. I like games and stuff."

Apollo smirked mischievously. "Well, I know one kid who is very eager to meet you."

"Yeah, about Joe…" Trucy trailed off uncertain of what exactly to say because she wasn't exactly sure how she was feeling. Trucy trusted Polly every bit as much as she trusted her Daddy and she knew Apollo would never suggest she go out on a date with anyone who wasn't a good person, but she wondered how deep under that tough exterior the good was hidden. It also bothered her that Joe had naughty magazines. She was sure Polly would never own or even look at such things, in yet Apollo hadn't acted appalled about Joe's admission…what was that about? Trucy wondered.

"Oh, so you were eavesdropping back in the rec room, too! I can't believe you. How'd you even get in here? They should have better security than that. I'll need to talk to Cheryl. People off the street shouldn't be able to walk right in here. It's not safe."

"I lied. I said you knew I was coming." Trucy guiltily gazed at her feet.

"Great. Now I'll be in trouble. You need a criminal background check and…"

Apollo looked as though something had just occurred to him. Something bad. His face had fallen. It was obvious he was no longer thinking about scolding Trucy or Miss Sparklepinks or any of the things that had been occupying his ever-busy brain just a few moments ago.

"What, Polly? What is it?"

"I just realized Vera can't come here. I didn't even think about it. She won't pass the background check."

Apollo's eyes were welling with tears. Why the hell hadn't he gotten an innocent verdict at her forgery trial? Why did that have to be the case he failed on, the one that mattered the most to him personally?

"Well, Polly, I guess you owe her an apology for how you acted about her going to work with Interpol then. You weren't willing to let her go even though she told you she was doing it precisely for reasons like this."

Apollo knew Trucy was right. Exactly right. Vera had even said much the same thing to him before she left. Vera had said he needed to understand that she didn't want to leave him. She simply didn't have a choice. She had to take the opportunity to clear her name because her most ambitious dream of creating an art school for children from low-income families would never come to fruition if she was "Convicted Felon Vera Misham" for the rest of her life.

What denial he had been in. As usual, Vera was right and he was stupid. It was so often the case. Apollo felt like calling her right than and there to say he understood better and that he was really sorry for his anger over her decision, but he knew that this was his time with the kids and it was important. He would be talking to Vera that night. She faithfully called him every night and he convinced himself that that would be soon enough to apologize.

Apollo took a deep breath. He wasn't quite sure how his life had so quickly become entwined with another person's but it had. He couldn't seem to get Vera out of his mind. It shouldn't be that big a deal that she was away…in yet it was as though the only motivation he had to proceed through the activities of his day was knowing that at the end of the day he would hear her voice and he could hold the phone and close his eyes and pretend that she was in his arms.

Trucy tipped her head at Polly unsure if she had been forgiven yet or not. Apollo's mind returned to the present and he shrugged at her and said, "Well, I'm sure the kids would love a magic show."

Trucy smiled. She was thrilled to be of help to him in bringing some happiness to the children.

"But, Truce," Polly leaned in to whisper to her. "Even if you have your magic panties with you stick with other tricks, ok? This crowd is a little less refined than the people at the Wonder Bar if you know what I mean."


	5. The Show

CHAPTER 5

Apollo helped Trucy gather together some items she would need for the show while Rosie and Miss Sparklepinks skipped around the center letting everyone know that "Twucee the Magic Girl" would be performing soon in the rec room. Apollo was fairly industrious about finding Trucy what she needed. He found a couple decks of playing cards in the misciellaneous drawer in the rec room, a bedsheet from the linen closet to use as a curtain, and a bouquet of flowers that decorated a table in one of the hallways.

Apollo taped the bedsheet to the walls in the corner of the rec room thereby forming a triangular backstage area for Trucy and then he drug all the rec rooms pillows and chairs over to face the stage leaving plenty of room in front for the little kids to sit "criss-cross-apple-sauce" on the carpet like they he knew they did during storytime.

"Knock-knock," Polly said before squeezing "backstage" with Trucy.

"You should be able to start anytime. It looks like everybody's here. I'm going to go stand in the back with the other miscreants. Break a leg."

"Polly, I'm nervous."

Apollo looked at Trucy with bemusement. "Why?"

"I don't know…this just seems more important than a birthday party…somehow."

"You'll do fine and they'll love you. Everybody always does."

He ducked under the curtain, but Trucy grabbed his hand and he turned around.

"Yes?"

Trucy knew he wanted to know what she wanted, but she didn't need anything in particular. She just wanted him to be near her. Polly always had a calming effect on her. She knew he would never let anything bad happen to her, even if that meant getting hit in the face by a rotten tomato himself. He really was wonderful…

Apollo leaned forward a little more, his eyebrows raised and a crooked smirk on his face. "Yes?"

"Don't leave me!"

Polly's shoulders sagged. "Truce, you're being ridiculous. It's a bunch of little kids. You're too professional for stage fright."

Trucy laughed. "I guess you're right."

"I know I am and don't worry the teenagers will act disinterested. It's what they do. Now quit being silly. Just holler if you need anything. You got your rabbit?"

Trucy patted her pocket and a spring loaded white bunny ejected out of it.

"Oh, crap." She was flustered. She felt distracted. What was her problem she wondered?

Polly leaned down and shook his head and handed it to her. "Guess its good I didn't give you a good luck hug. That really shouts out doesn't it?" He placed the rabbit in her gloved hand and she found herself wishing she didn't have gloves on so she could feel his touch even for the briefest moment.

She blinked. What was that thought? She was getting more flustered.

"Truce, you sure you're ok? You're acting kind of…odd." Of course, Polly would notice, thought Trucy. She couldn't hide anything from him.

"Just do what I do before court. Close your eyes for a minute and take a deep breath." She felt Apollo's hands on her back ever so gently rubbing her shoulder blades and neck, being careful to avoid any of Mr. Hat's mechanisms. Trucy inhaled deeply. She didn't want him to stop. She arched her back the side of her face brushing up against his. She had only been this close to him once before. It had been at the school dance. He had kissed her. It was a fake kiss, a performance to make the guy she liked jealous, but now looking back on it Trucy couldn't imagine how she could have liked anyone more than Apollo. Polly was everything she could ever want.

"There. See how much better you feel?" Polly said breaking Trucy's reverie with a couple more firm pats on the shoulders. "You'll knock 'em dead."

And with that he was gone leaving Trucy alone to wonder exactly what she was feeling for her faithful friend.

"I'd like to introduce my good friend, The Marvelous Trucy. She was summoned here today by Miss Sparklepinks magic hat, but I think you'll find that Trucy's hat is even more magical. So please welcome… Truuuccceee!"

Apollo pulled back the curtain and found Trucy standing there a red flush across her cheeks. She stood still for a moment longer than she otherwise would have before saying, "Thank you, Apollo," and stepping forward.

Polly headed to the back of the room stationing himself by the older boys prepared to hit them should they make any inappropriate comments about his beloved Trucy or her performance.

Trucy performed her magic acts flawlessly making Polly wonder why she had been so nervous. There must be something bothering her, he thought. He figured it was his fault for pressuring her to go out with Joe. It probably wasn't nice to suggest such a thing before talking to Truce about it, but he worried a little about her. Her daddy had Maya now and he had Vera and he knew that probably made her a little lonely. He knew that she was only sixteen, but he remembered what it was like to have nobody and Truce was such a wonderful person. Sure, she got a little bossy sometimes and she afforded him no privacy whatsoever, but he loved her and she put up with his snarky remarks. She took care of him like nobody else did. He constantly teased her that she wasn't his mom, but she was in an odd sort of way. They looked out for each other and he knew he'd do anything for her.

About half way through the show Joe nudged Apollo.

"She's REALLY good."

Apollo grinned. "Yeah, she is. It's in her blood. She's descended from a line of the world's greatest magicians, the Gramaryes. They were all a bunch of headcases though. Not like her. She's…amazing."

"You sure you want to set her up with me? I mean, you sure you're not into her yourself?"

Apollo blinked. "Of course not. We're just friends." His answer came automatically and he thought it sounded believeable enough, but he found himself wondering why Joe would think there was anything going on between him and Truce. It was obvious to Apollo that she was just a kid and he had a girlfriend he was madly in love with. How could anyone think that he and Trucy…?

Polly shifted a little. Crap! He had these weird feelings about Trucy. Confusing feelings. He couldn't believe Joe had been able to pick up on it. Apollo scolded himself for not being better at hiding his affection for her. He couldn't be in love with her. He was in love with Vera and he didn't think about…that with Trucy. Actually, the image of Trucy in the throws of passion made Polly feel a little sick like when you look at porn when you're too young. So, obviously it was a different kind of love. More like what Phoenix had for her, an admiration…right? But then why was he so possessive of her?

When the show was over Trucy and Mr. Hat took a bow and everyone clapped and cheered heartily for her, even the older boys who had hung out at the back of the crowd pretending not to be enjoying themselves. Immediately, Trucy was mobbed by the under-ten crowd with them all wanting to talk to the Amazing Mr. Hat at the same time. Apollo leaned against the wall smiling at the chaos her performance had created.

"You're a hit!" Polly said winking at her.

Apollo looked around and realized Joe was trying to slink out of the room.

"Hold it!" Polly shouted at him as he dashed to nab his pal.

"Don't you want me to introduce you to her?" He whispered in Joe's ear while grabbing him by the upper arm forcing him to turn around.

Joe looked terrified and Polly was proud of finding something that intimidated the young man who thought he was so damn clever.

Apollo politely forced his way through the throng of smaller kids with Joe in tow. Then he tapped Trucy on the shoulder.

"Truce, I want you to meet Joe."

Trucy blinked. She had to remember that she wasn't supposed to know that Joe was interested in going out with her.

"Hi. Nice to meet you. I'm Trucy Wright." She extended her gloved hand to the young man and he looked at it for a second or two before he realized he was supposed to shake it. Then he extended his hand.

"Oh, hi. I'm Joe, Joseph Williams."

They looked at each other for several moments in silence, before Joe said more.

"I liked the show. You're really good."

"Oh, thanks! I have to practice a lot. I drive Daddy and Polly nuts, but it takes a lot of dedication and I really want to be a world famous magician."

Joe nodded. He didn't know what to say and that gave Trucy just the opportunity she was hoping for.

"So, what are you hoping to do?" If Apollo was going to try to get her to use her love life as some kind of public service the motivation or humiliation for her potential suitors was going to start right now.

"Aaahhhh. I don't really know."

"Oh." Trucy said a little flippantly.

Joe's eyes got wide. He could sense that he was screwing up and it was only bout one. "Well, I draw some. I'd like to make comics, but it's kind of hard. There's a lot of competition so maybe like graphic design or something."

Trucy nodded. That sounded like a start. She caught Apollo smiling. His plan was working and he was gloating about it.

"How attractive! He's getting more like Daddy everyday," Trucy thought.


	6. Phermones

Risenfromash: So here is the LONG last chapter of Polly's Secret complete with an extra dose of angsty confusing teenage love!

CHAPTER 6

Apollo walked his bike with Trucy to the bus stop. Usually, the long ride back to town acting as a buffer between his current life and the loneliness of his youth, but today things were different. He wouldn't be able to reflect in solitude, because Trucy was with him.

"Oh, Polly! They're so sweet. It's so sad. They don't have homes." Apollo nodded. It was hard to face the reality that this many kids couldn't even be placed in foster homes.

"Most will get placed in foster homes within a few weeks, but yeah, the whole situation is rotten. Especially since most of these kids have families-its just their parents are too messed up from addictions and stuff to be able to care for their own kids."

Trucy had always known Polly liked kids, but she never had seen this side of him. He almost seemed like he should have been a social worker instead of a lawyer.

She told him so and he said, "No way. It's way too emotional for me. Once a month is enough. If I had to get up everyday and think about the shit these kids have been through I'd go insane. I would kill someone, but I am doing what I can to make sure the couple that abused Rosie don't get out on parole." He shook his head in obvious disgust.

"Why is Rosie still here? She seems like such a sweet little girl. Why would no one want her?"

"Rosie has some issues. First she was removed form her first mom's and then she were placed with foster parents that neglected and abused her. The foster dad beat her…burnt her…chained her to the table…" His tone was sounding more dangerously vengeful with each word, but he took a deep breath and composed himself. "Shit like that. The mom knew what was going on, but she didn't do a thing about it. Maybe he beat her, too, but I think she was just too messed up to care."

Trucy gasped, tears in her eyes. This was a glimpse into a part of Polly's world she had never seen. A world where everyone's story was a melodrama of broken dreams and unspeakable sorrows. She couldn't understand how anyone could be so cruel.

"So, anyways because of that Rosie doesn't do well in a traditional family setting- like with a foster family. She does better at Safe Place, for now at least. But she's improving. Cheryl asked me to try to work with her a little, because she wouldn't even talk to men so I started reading to her and playing with her and we're good friends now. Though, after Vera got kidnapped I didn't make it to visit for a long time and Rosie got kind of worried, so I've been trying to come more often now."

He smiled. "I gave her Miss Sparklepinks for Christmas. I didn't name her though-that's all Rosie."

The bus pulled up and Apollo attached his bike to the front and they boarded. Apollo slid into the window seat and Trucy took the aisle. She didn't seem her usually peppy, know-it-all self.

"Truce, is something the matter?"

"Yeah. I feel sorry for Rosie. Really sorry."

"Yeah me too, but unless you've got a time machine the only thing anyone can do is help her get to the point where she can build attachments and find a family. Of course, the whole thing makes me kind of wish I had decided to become a prosecutor."

"I'm still glad you're a defense attorney. Think of all the innocent people you've helped. They'd have no one to turn to without you."

"Well, thanks. Defense attorneys get a bum rap."

Trucy rested her head on Polly's shoulder and Apollo patted her hand.

"And don't worry. You made Rosie's day. She really thinks her doll's magic hat made you appear. Hell, I half think that too."

"You know I could have been Rosie if Daddy hadn't adopted me. I'm so lucky."

"You are very lucky. There aren't many people like your dad out there, but you deserve it."  
"And you didn't?"

"I've done ok." Apollo shrugged. "You know me. I roll with the punches."

Trucy sat thinking about her father. It hadn't seemed at all weird to her as a nine-year old girl that he would have simply taken her in when her father vanished, but now in retrospect she realized he must have made some huge sacrifices to do it. She wondered if Apollo had ever thought about adopting Rosie and if he would laugh if she asked him about it, but she decided to keep her thought private at least for now.

"Polly, are you sure you don't want to find out about your parents?"

Apollo scrunched up his face. He found the subject of his parents rather distasteful. "I dunno know, Trucy. I mean, I won't deny that I think about them. I suppose that's normal and I sure as hell **curse** them everyday, but I don't wonder about that stuff as much as I used to. It doesn't seem to matter now that I've found a family." He knew it sounded cheesy, but he couldn't help it. He loved the Wrights. He loved Vera. He loved his kooky life and his wacky clients.

"Besides, Vera has made some whoppers of stories up about my origins."

Trucy smiled. "Yeah, I like the one where you were born on an alien spacecraft."

"You would like the totally implausible one." He whacked her side just a little and she shoved his arm back playfully.

"But I just wonder…"

"Yeah, I guess it wouldn't be all bad finding out who my first mom was. That's what Rosie and I call our birth parents. Biological is too hard for her to say and it creeps me out. I can't say it without picturing test tubes with babies in 'em. And I can't stand when people insist on calling them your "real" parents. Like Zak was more of a "real" father to you than Phoenix just because Phoenix isn't related to you genetically. It's asinine. But it does get confusing talking to a bunch of orphans who have had a bunch of different foster parents and stuff, so we call the mom who gave birth to us "First Mom". They weren't necessarily the worst or the best. They were just first…before all the others."

"You've thought a lot about this haven't you?" Trucy wondered how many nights he had spent as a lonely kid pondering where he came from and why he couldn't find anyone willing to love him permanently. Trucy couldn't imagine not loving Apollo. He was so sweet and even his hot temper endeared him to her, it being a sign of his overwhelming passion. He was passionate about everything it seemed: his clients, his family, his hatred of the Gavinners music, his admiration of Vera's artwork…

"Well, you'd think about it a lot too if you learned you were abandoned when you were a year old." Polly turned his eyes away from Trucy. He wasn't telling her for her sympathy and he knew the revelation would make her feel sorry for him.

"What?" Trucy was confused. Apollo had been abandoned? That didn't make sense to her.

"Yeah, for years I thought that my mom gave me up when I was born. I mean, that's what usually happens, but it slipped out one day when I was around some adoption caseworkers that I was **abandoned. When I was a one year old baby.**"

"Oh, Polly, that's terrible." Trucy's arms were around Apollo's neck. Their heads would have been touching if Trucy's top hat hadn't been getting in the way.

"Don't worry. I'm fine." Apollo said completely unconvincingly.

"You only say that when you're not." Why did she have to know him so well?

"Quit perceiving." He snapped a little.

"You know it doesn't work that way. We can't turn it off."

"It's weird you and I can both do that don't you think?" He commented off-handedly.

"Yeah." Trucy had wondered about that. The odds that they would have been drawn together and have the same special gift did seem highly unusual.

"When'd you realize you could do it?" Apollo asked. They'd never really discussed it before.

"I don't really know. I always kind of did it. I thought it was part of being a magician."

"Well, I am not a magician." He said confidently and perhaps, Trucy thought with a tinge of relief in his tone.

"You'd be a great magician."

"No offense, but I don't think I like magicians. Other than you."

"Do you like clowns?"

"Definitely not."

"What will we get to entertain you on your birthday then?" she teased him.

"How about a lady who jumps out of a cake?" Apollo wiggled his eyebrows suggestively with a wide grin on his face.

"Polly!"

"You know I'm just kidding."

"You were not." Trucy swatted his arm and Apollo admitted, "Yeah, maybe I wasn't."

Apollo and Trucy sat in silence as the bus rambled back toward the city. It had been a strange day; even more emotional than visits to Safe Place normally were for him and Polly had found himself oddly comforted by Trucy's company even though she hadn't been invited. Everything was more fun when she was around.

"Trucy, thanks for coming today."

"Can I come with you again?" She wanted to make sure he understood that she wouldn't violate his privacy again. She felt bad about that.

"Sure. It's actually nicer having someone with me. I get kinda sad otherwise remembering what it was like back before I met you and your dad, but I won't let myself quit coming."

Apollo sighed. His life hadn't been that bad, but it was a LOT better now. He had people who cared about him people who loved him even when he was grouchy or made a mistake. He had a girlfriend…sort-of…who was just about the most wonderful person ever and a good friend who was pesky in an adorable kind of way and lovable and a damn handy companion when investigating.

"Did anybody come for you?"

"What?" Apollo had become lost in his thoughts.  
"Did you have anybody come visit you?"

"Oh, no not routinely. That's why I do it."

Apollo looked out the window. The weather had changed. The sky had clouded over with grey clouds that looked like they would begin dumping rain at any moment. He was glad he wasn't going to have to ride in this. He hadn't dressed for it.

Trucy looked at Apollo gazing out the window. His serious eyes paired with his silly hair only served to make him seem more tragic. She had always thought he was good looking dressed in his smart red suit and matching vest, with his sleeves rolled up showing off his strong arms…Trucy tried to block wherever that thought was going. But he didn't look bad in his grubbies either. He pulled off the look better than her daddy did. Polly looked like he could be a musician, a rock star who didn't give damn about what people thought about him, not like Klavier who constantly wanted attention to fee his ego. Trucy could picture Apollo holding a guitar, writing songs like one of the boys in the music department at her school. Being a performing arts magnet school she was overrun by talented young men, but none of them compared to Apollo. Polly was one of a kind with his unique mix of tenderness and strength. He wasn't scared to have people know he cried, but he also wasn't scared to beat the crap out of somebody who deserved it. Maybe that was why she felt so safe around him. He would never laugh at her for being emotional and she somehow knew he would risk his life to protect her.

Trucy had always known she was extremely lucky to have Apollo in her life. His entry into her life had started something, not just for her Daddy but for her as well, a chain of events that had led to this moment. Here just the two of them.

She felt like crawling into his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his face and neck and ears. She wanted to run her hands through his hair and let his hands wander around her body the way she had seen him do when he kissed Vera and he thought no one was looking. She wanted to make his loneliness go away.

"Polly, I think I might be falling for you." Apollo turned from the window with a start. He had worried that this day would come. That someday she would crush on him and he would have to let her down easy. He couldn't even say that he was surprised that it was today. It made sense in a strange sort of way. Vera was away and so often he and Truce were on the move. There were so many distractions, but here now they were just killing time on the bus.

He knew what he had to do, but he didn't know what to say and he was a little scared. There had always been a level of intimacy between them he wouldn't have felt comfortable with any girl he wasn't romantically involved with. Before Vera, Trucy had touched him more physically and emotionally than any other girl or woman ever had and Polly knew it was a little odd. Ema was also his friend but he could never imagine the kind of closeness he had with Trucy with Ema. At least not without a healthy pelting of snackoos as punishment.

"Oh, God. Please don't say that, Truce. Vera's coming back and I may not always seem like it but I value my life. You really don't want your dad to kill me do you?" Apollo nervously laughed. He hoped in doing so he didn't seem to dismiss her feelings just point out that they were impossible. Nothing would come of them.

Trucy felt dismayed. Her and Polly spent so much time together. He'd even gone with her to the Sadie Hawkins Dance even though it had meant a ding on his reputation. Wasn't that love? How could he be so sure that he didn't feel that way about her? And why was he so damn calm? Apollo was not known for being mellow. Did he think she was just a silly little girl? How could he not recognize she was growing up?

"But why aren't you freakin' out about me saying it, Polly?"

Apollo shrugged. He couldn't deny there was something there for both of them. He couldn't figure out what it was, but there definitely was a connection there.

"Cause we care about each other and I'll always be there for you." Apollo grimaced as soon as he had uttered the words. He was sure that wasn't what you were supposed to say to someone you were trying to let down easy. It sounded way too loving, too affectionate, and too romantic. Maybe he was going to have to be an ass. He didn't want to be an ass. He loved Trucy too much. He didn't want to see her cry. He could never stand it. Why did it hurt him so much? What was that strange bond he felt with her? He knew it was there. He felt it everyday whether it was at Vera's or at the office or in court or at a crime scene or on the bus…like they were now.

Maybe he should try again… "Truce, there's just lots of types of love and you're young and feelings can get confused, especially at your age."

"Oh, like you're so much more mature than I am."

"I am. You forget how much older I am than you." Apollo had a tendency to forget himself. Mentally he really wasn't as old as his age, well at least parts of him weren't. He hadn't gotten to have a real normal childhood so he longed for some of the simple fun of kiddom while having been aware of a darker side to life far too early on.

Apollo sighed. "Look that didn't come out right. I don't think you're some kid. I just mean…" He wasn't sure what he meant anymore. He kept losing track of his thoughts. This was so damn hard. He didn't have feelings, right? He spent all his time thinking about Vera after all.

Trucy sat next to him her lips forming a pout. Apollo wasn't looking at her when he was speaking and he was making it sound like he was so much more…advanced than her. He was avoiding her eyes. He was playing it cool, but he was nervous. She could tell.

"Polly, kiss me." She looked at him with her puppy dog eyes. She knew that if he looked at them he'd give in. He always did. Daddy had built up some immunity, but Polly had none.

Apollo still refused to turn and look at her. "No. Once was enough. I only kiss you to help other guys realize they want to. That's the rule. Like I said I don't want your dad to kill me."

Trucy stared at him. Normally he seemed so awkward. How could he suddenly be so sure of himself? So sure of his feelings or rather lack there of? She was worried she might cry.

"Leave Daddy out of this. This is about us."

Apollo and Trucy both considered that word. "Us" it was such a little word with so much meaning. Apollo remembered that word with Vera. She had drawn a picture of her and Apollo. "Look at us!" She had said so merrily before pulling him onto the couch with her making him melt into putty in her hands. Polly missed that. It's hard to be an "us" when one of you is halfway across the world.

Trucy knew that Apollo and her were always a couple. Partners, pals, compadres, busting out the truth from behind the lies. She kept him in line. She…

Apollo's breathing started becoming more labored. He was trying to build up his nerve. Polly knew something was there, but he knew he loved Vera. He hated to think he could love two girls at the same time because that meant those feelings he had about Vera the "she's-the-One" feelings were merely an illusion and he didn't want that. He loved her so much. He was crazy about her, yet…

He knew he would run into a burning building for Trucy. He knew he was overly protective of her maybe even possessive a little like Nick was with Maya. He knew he didn't think about Trucy in that sexual way, but what if that was just because he was blocking it? Hadn't Phoenix convinced himself for years he wasn't in love with Maya when anybody who watched a single tape of them in court could read the attraction all over them? It was like electricity between them, in yet, Phoenix had waited, either consciously or unconsciously aware that the time wasn't right for them. The obvious parallels between Nick's relationship with Maya and Polly's close friendship with Trucy made Apollo very uncomfortable.

Polly was mad. Why had every girl in the universe ignored him in high school and college and now Pearls was writing him notes and dotting the eyes with hearts and Trucy was saying she was falling for him? He wanted one girl; just one and he had decided that woman was Vera. Maybe that new hair gel he was using had some weird pheromone in it. He'd throw it out when he got home. He couldn't deal with this kind of stress.

Trucy wondered what Polly was thinking. She could tell he was thinking. Maybe he was evaluating the evidence of their attraction. He was very methodical. Years of law school did that to a person, but Trucy was young, impulsive ready to pull just about anything from her magic panties for a laugh.

_Come on, Polly, kiss me!_

Apollo felt angry with himself for the way he felt about Trucy because he couldn't seem to control it, but it might mean disaster for his dreams of happiness with Vera. He inhaled deeply. There was only one way to know for sure how he felt. He closed his eyes and turned to face Trucy. He prayed that when he opened his eyes he wouldn't find that magnetic pull there like he did when he faced Vera, because if it was there he knew he wouldn't be able to fight it. If it was there he was screwed. His whole life would go down the crapper because it meant what he felt for Vera wasn't as real as he thought.

It would mean she wasn't "the One" after all. It would mean that he had to choose between them or that he wasn't really the person he thought he was or something or that his maleness would curse him for the rest of the life. Taking a deep breath he opened his eyes and gazed deep into Trucy's puppy dog eyes. They were beautiful. So honest, so loving, and so unmagnetic to him. Somewhere out there there was going to be a damn lucky guy who seeing those eyes would melt, but for Apollo it felt no different than looking into Rosie's eyes. He allowed himself to exhale. Trucy would survive this rejection, but he never would have survived being attracted to her.

"Trucy, I'm flattered. I really am, but you're just feeling this way because you've seen me do something you admire. Why do you think all those celebrities volunteer for a day at place like that?"

"Because people care what they do and they can get publicity for good causes."

"No, that's what they want you to believe. They do it to get with chicks, because girls love a guy who does nice things because a lot of guys are jerks."

"Polly, when exactly did you get so jaded?"

"When my mother dumped me on the doorstep of the Department of Child Safety without so much as a note of explanation. That's when."

"I really don't think it's just because of today…" Trucy's mind was filled with images of Apollo.

"Look you'd feel the same way if…" Apollo tried to think of the most unappealing man he could think of. "Mr. Eldoon had been there today. It'll wear off when we're back at the office."

"Polly, why aren't you freaking out? I just told you I want you to kiss me."

"You don't love me like that. You're just confused. You don't know because you've never really been in love. It's not your fault. Think of it this way you found something I did…attractive." Saying this made Apollo blush. He didn't like thinking about what Trucy was feeling. How her heart was probably fluttering and butterflies were dancing in her stomach. Those feelings shouldn't be there, not for him anyways.

"Anyways, all I'm trying to say is you can like something a person does without liking the whole thing. I'm no prince." He wanted to say Trucy couldn't handle him, but in actuality she handled him every day quite well. Maybe this line of explanation wasn't going to work after all, he thought.

Trucy wasn't sure what to say. She wasn't disappointed necessarily.

"You're going to tell me that there's somebody out there for me. Right?'

Polly nodded and Trucy groaned.

Then they both laughed. Polly took her hand and Trucy felt little waves of excitement coming from his touch. He was amazing. He was so great. He was everything she wanted.

"Trucy, I want you to know something. Look it's not that I don't like you or that there's something wrong with you. It's not even your age…I'm just…I think I've found who I'm supposed to be with."

Apollo kind of grinned an uncomfortable grin. This was probably a conversation he needed to be having with Vera rather than Trucy, but things were so weird right now.

Apollo's phone rang and he let go of Trucy's hand to answer it. It was Vera and just seeing the ID on his phone made him feel better. How had she known he needed her? It must be that cosmic link he was convinced she had with him. Trucy saw his face light up and she knew who it had to be.

"Hello? Vera? Everything ok, sweetie? I'm not used to you calling at this time of day."

Vera's voice sounded sad and a little shaky. "Yeah. I'm just really lonely today. I wanted to hear your voice. What are you up to?"

"Trucy and I are riding back from Safe Place."

Trucy noticed how Apollo said the name of the place with familiarity to Vera. So, Vera knew. That made sense. They lived together after all. She wanted to open an art school for low-income kids and Polly helped cheer up a bunch of wards of the state. Trucy started to see an aspect of their relationship she'd never seen before, a common interest…

"Oh, Trucy went with you that's great." Vera said. She was obviously enthusiastic, but she still sounded sad. "I wish I could have come. I would have loved to finally meet Rosie."

"Vera, I think I owe you an apology. Trucy pointed something out to me today. Well several things, actually, but one was that if you weren't trying to clear your name you'd probably never get to volunteer there with us. So, I'm really sorry…" Apollo felt terrible for the way he had argued with her about her leaving. He just hadn't wanted to be without her. Being apart from her was so hard. Wasn't it supposed to take longer than this to fall hopelessly in love?

"It's ok. I know you just didn't want me to leave. Oh, Polly! I miss you so much!" Vera was crying.

Apollo held the phone wondering what to say. In the last few minutes he'd had two beautiful, sweet, intelligent girls tell him they loved him. He felt a little overwhelmed.

"Oh, Vera. Please don't cry. I miss you, too." But it seemed to Polly that he couldn't cheer her up, probably talking to him only made the separation more unbearable. She needed some cheer, less melodrama. "You know who else misses you? Trucy! Here I'll have her say hi. It'll cheer you up."

Trucy was startled to find Polly handing her the phone, but she couldn't upset the happy smile on his face so she took it.

"Hi, Vera."

"Hey, so you went with Polly, huh?"

"Yeah…" Trucy wasn't sure if she should admit that she had tailed Apollo there. Especially given how she now seemed to be feeling. It seemed a little too stalker like to be a good thing.

"I bet Rosie is really cute!" Vera said, but she sounded upset. There was an edge to her voice.

"Yeah, she is. Vera, are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just really miss Polly. I mean I miss all of you, but…"

Then Trucy felt embarrassed. How had she thought she felt for him what this woman did? This girl who made his eyes light up when she entered the room, that made him lose his ability to properly structure sentences, who he cared for and loved so much. No wonder Apollo knew her feelings weren't real. He had the real thing. Trucy started crying. Being sixteen was really tough.

Apollo saw Trucy breaking down and put his arm around her, though he wasn't really sure what he was comforting her for or from. Was she upset with Vera? Mad at him for loving her? He didn't know, but he was disturbed to see her sad.

"Polly, plug your ears for a minute I need to talk to Vera in private." Apollo grimaced. Given Trucy's current confused state this might not be the best idea, but Apollo figured that surely Vera would understand. She was an understanding person and Trucy and Vera were close. So Apollo pointed to the aisle and Trucy stood up and Apollo walked to the front of the bus and stuck his fingers in his ears.

Once Trucy was confident that Polly was far enough away she said, "Vera, I just realized today how lucky you are."

"What do you mean?" Vera was too many millions of miles away from Polly and the safety of his arms to feel like a lucky person today.

"I mean I'm jealous of you and Polly. He really loves you, you know that don't you?"

Vera was quiet and then said, "Yes."

"He told Rosie he wants to marry you."

"Really? He said that? I've been so worried he was still mad about me going away."

"No, he's not mad. He's a really great guy and I want you to know that he really misses you and I can't convince him to go out with anybody else or anything. He really only wants you. So please take care of him."

"Trucy…" Vera paused. "Are you in love with Polly?"

Trucy was too good a friend to Vera to lie. "I don't know, but it doesn't matter. He's in love with you so please come home as soon as you can. I can't stand to see him so miserable."

"Trucy, I don't know what to say. You're my best friend."

"I know and I helped get the two of you together. I just…he's a really, really good guy."

"I know and I love him."

"Well good. Take care of him for me ok?" Then Trucy's tone changed abruptly. "He's setting me up with some delinquent."

"What?!"

"I know. He can tell you about it later. I guess I'm supposed to perform a public service by going out with him."

"That's awful! I'll talk to Polly about it. I can't believe he would do that to you."

"Naw. It's ok. He knows I'm just kind of lonely. You know Daddy has Maya and Polly has you…" Trucy's voice was starting to crack. She managed to croak out the words, "I'm going to pass you back now."

Trucy waved her hand to Polly to indicate he could now return to his seat.

She wasn't sure if Polly was right about her not being in love with him, but one thing was for sure he was taken. Vera needed him and he loved her with every ounce of his being. It was so romantic. Trucy was now just glum because the only really great guy she knew besides her daddy was claimed. Why hadn't she seen it before? Apollo might as well have had a ring on his finger his devotion to Vera was so great. How could she have forgotten how he insisted on taking a rose to Vera every day she was in the psyche ward? Or how before they were dating he would accidentally walk into the bookcases because he was so busy gazing at her? Trucy scolded herself. How could she have allowed herself to get so carried away? Maybe there was some weird pheromone in the air.

Apollo grabbed the phone.

"Well, it's almost our stop. I better go."

"Polly, is Trucy ok?"

"Yeah, she's just had a hard day. It's always a little emotional going and seeing all the kids."

"Yeah, I guess. Sounds like you and Rosie had a heart to heart."

Apollo could tell Vera was hinting to him that she knew something he had said. Polly was too annoyed to respond.

"Polly, you know I'm coming back to you, right?"

Apollo knew Vera was a woman who chose her words carefully. She hadn't said she was "coming back". She had said she was coming back to HIM. He felt his insides warm up. Maybe one good thing had come of Trucy and Vera talking.

"Polly, I'm really sorry we're apart right now."

"Don't be. You're doing the right thing. I never should have fought with you about it."

"I want you to know I know how lucky I am to have you. I love you."

Apollo felt a jolt of excitement through him. She really had forgiven him for all the crap that happened before she left.

"But, before I go I have a question for you. Polly, you aren't falling in love with Trucy are you?"

"What?!" Apollo couldn't believe his ears.

"Ok, just checking. I feel better now." Vera's intoxicating giggle could be heard through the phone. "Love you. Call me tonight, kay?"

"Okay. Bye."

"Bye."

Apollo turned to Trucy.

"What did you say to her?"

"I told her she's a very lucky girl and I'm jealous of you two."

"And you told her what I said to Rosie didn't you?"

Trucy smiled innocently.

Apollo sighed and patted her on the leg.

"You mad at me?" He asked.

"Nope. It's not your fault you're in love with Vera. You mad at me?"

"Nope. It's not your fault you're in love with me." Trucy smiled. He wasn't blowing her off anymore. He knew there was something there. Sure they couldn't be together. Vera needed him and he loved her, but she had at least got him to admit her feelings were real.

"Come on. This is our stop."

Trucy watched him stand. He was so handsome and cool, but he had always been that way. She would find a way to quell the butterflies. After all, she was the one who had all but engineered Vera and Polly. Friends can be very good at setting people up.

"Polly, tell me more about Joe."

Apollo laughed. "Oh, boy. Do I have some stories for you!"

Trucy realized than that Polly was just about the greatest guy there was and if he couldn't be her boyfriend she was still a lucky girl to have him as her best friend. She could hardly wait till Vera was back in town and everything could be normal again. Polly was right the family felt funny when someone was gone and Vera was family even if it wasn't official yet.


End file.
